Rope Braided Headband?

[ArienEllariel]

I'm not sure which section this should be in but.. oh well. I saw a lovely style which one of my fellow LHC members posted recently and decided to try my hand at a Rope Braided Headband. All I got for my efforts was a stiff neck, some pulled hairs, and lots of frustration.:( I just couldn't seem to master it.

How in the world does one rope braid their hair into a headband? I really need some instructions. I can do a basic rope braid but for some reason when I'm doing something on the top of my head I get my rights and lefts reversed and my mind gets all befuddled. :dizzy:

[apynip]

Well if i were you i would try to do a lace braid first ( same concept only a dutch braid head band) just to see if you can get that down first.
Also if you are able to rest your arms against something ( say a shelf on a bookself) it might help the strain on your arms. othewise just think of it as strength training. XD

Dream weaver braiding is down at the moment otherwise i'd lend you the link.

hope that helps a little.

[Amara]

When I do it, I take a chunk of hair from behind one ear and braid it. Then I wrap it up and over my my head and pin it in back of my other ear. That way there's no confusing braiding direction changes. :)

ETA: I guess I didn't realize "headband" necessarily meant "french." I've done a french rope on the back of my head but I agree, top of the head french stuff is hard!

[handsclean]

I saw that too! She said it was really challenging, so of course I had to sit up and do it right then and there :) I think I'm naturally talented at braiding (not to brag, of course). But here's how I do it.

Take the two sections, one in front and one behind. Start like you would a normal rope braid, but on the second twist, take a second of hair from the front (like you would in a normal lace braid) and twist. You keep adding sections as in a lace braid, but you only add them to the front piece.

I'm sorry, it's hard to explain, but I hope I helped!

[ArienEllariel]

Thanks all. :) I think I'll just have to keep practicing. I'll start out just lace braiding a regular 3 strand braid and see how that turns out- as I haven't tried that yet. I usually pick braiding techniques up quickly. I did a four strand braid after watching someone else do one the other day. This one though was killing me -.- but I'm sure I'll get it. :P

[Elainehali]

When you're making the braid don't use a mirror. Mirrors confuse the eyes.

If you were trying to make a lace rope braid pick an object in the room that you're winding the sections toward, and then you'll twist them in the opposite direction when they cross.

:D When I'm making the headband I use a mister bottle to make the starting point wet, so the hair doesn't fight against the new direction as much.

[Peggy E.]

When you're making the braid don't use a mirror. Mirrors confuse the eyes.

If you were trying to make a lace rope braid pick an object in the room that you're winding the sections toward, and then you'll twist them in the opposite direction when they cross.

:D When I'm making the headband I use a mister bottle to make the starting point wet, so the hair doesn't fight against the new direction as much.

Any time I've made any sort of challenging hair styles I never use the mirror while attempting the style. In fact, more often than not I even close my eyes!

For me. the two-section roped twist would be easier to do than a three-section lace braid, but that's just me. I'm weird....

[ArienEllariel]

When you're making the braid don't use a mirror. Mirrors confuse the eyes.

If you were trying to make a lace rope braid pick an object in the room that you're winding the sections toward, and then you'll twist them in the opposite direction when they cross.

:D When I'm making the headband I use a mister bottle to make the starting point wet, so the hair doesn't fight against the new direction as much.

Thanks! I'll try that. I don't know why I didn't think of this before. When I tought myself to french braid I didn't use a mirror so this shouldn't be that much different. :)

[misstwist]

When you're making the braid don't use a mirror. Mirrors confuse the eyes.

This is one of the big secrets. I can't look in a mirror when I'm doing any braid of any sort or I wreck it. And I've been braiding my own hair since I was seven!